Effects of the Don t Ask Don t Tell Policy on the Military
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On November 30th 1993, the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy was signed into law by Bill Clinton. Clinton originally had tried to end the ban of gays in the military, but Congress intervened and that resulted in the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. Prior to the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, homosexuals and bisexuals were not allowed to serve in the military and the service was allowed to ask and pursue suspected gay service members. The "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy allows lesbians, gays and bisexuals to serve in the military, but they can not be open about their sexual orientation. The service is prohibited from asking any service member about their sexual orientation and the service member can not admit to being gay or bisexual, because to do so would result in a discharge from the service. This is the only law our country has that authorizes an American to be fired for being open about their sexual orientation.
This law was significantly different from the prior prohibitions on service in three respects. First, congressional and military leaders acknowledged for the first time that lesbians, gays and bisexuals serve our nation and do so honorably. Second, the policy states that sexual orientation is no longer a bar to military service. Third, Clinton, Congress, and military leaders agreed to end intrusive questions about service members' sexual orientation and to stop the military's investigation to find suspected lesbian, gay and bisexual service members...